Let's Move Blog

Yesterday, the First Lady welcomed local students and FoodCorps leaders on the South Lawn for the sixth annual planting of the White House Kitchen Garden. The garden was first planted in 2009 to commence a nationwide conversation on healthy eating and inspired the First Lady to launch Let’s Move!

Posted by Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Healthy Childcare Initiative on March 25, 2014

As part of the Boston Public Health Commission, the Boston Healthy Child Care Initiative (BHCCI) is helping programs implement best approaches to support healthy eating and physical activity for young children using evidence-based practices, including Let’s Move! Child Care.

Posted by Pamela Bryant, Health Communications Specialist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on March 21, 2014

California State University at Chico (Chico State) has made great strides with a two-year grant from the California Department of Health’s Obesity Prevention Program (COPP). Chico State is putting policy into action and helping to prevent obesity in low-income preschool settings. Through its Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion (CNAP), Chico State has worked with child care facilities and organizations and early education staff to implement best practices for physical activity. It has also conducted pilot research on an inexpensive solution to help children increase physical activity and burn more energy on the playground.

We all know there’s nothing like a healthy, home-cooked meal. So the next time you’re planning time together with your family, spend it in the kitchen. Cooking at home is the perfect way to teach and encourage kids to develop their own healthy habits. Research has shown that children who help with cooking and meal preparation are more likely to consume fruits and vegetables, and they are more aware of the importance of making healthier food choices.

Posted by Greg Beach, FoodCorps Service Member, Cambridge, Massachusetts on March 19, 2014

Picture this. The September sun warms a gathering of students and the ground where they work. The surrounding plot is lush and ripe for harvest. Fists full of soil, the children dig diligently with the hope that their seeds will establish strong roots before the frost seals the soil until spring. With furrowed brows, the students consider the importance of their work: What will we do if this newly seeded crop of winter wheat fails to sprout?

Families of children at Lakeview Child Center at Hamilton in Mercer County, New Jersey are thrilled about Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC). The center has approximately 100 children ages 6 weeks to 6 years enrolled in their program and as a member of Robert Wood Johnson Health System, Lakeview Child Center has the unique ability to coordinate hands-on learning activities with hospital providers.

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the keynote address to more than 900 participants at the two day Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) “Building a Healthier Future” Summit. The Summit brought together members of the public, private, and non profit sectors all working together to combat childhood obesity. Mrs. Obama noted new commitments from Dannon, Del Monte, Knowledge Universe, Kwik Trip, Nutri Ventures, and Sodexo and commended the incredible work being done to address the issue.

Davenport, IA, located along the Mississippi River, has a growing population of over 100,000. We have been a part of Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties (LMCTC) since 2010. As the City’s Mayor, I am extremely proud of all of our City’s initiatives to increase wellness for our residents, especially young children. Some of these initiatives include outreach to child care centers and school wellness policies.

The end of February marked the one year Anniversary of Let’s Move! Active Schools, the First Lady’s comprehensive school-based initiative to ensure that all kids have access to a total of 60 minutes of play before, during, and after school. Since the launch of Let’s Move! Active Schools, over 6,800 schools across all 50 states have signed up, impacting more than 3.5 million students nationwide! Entire districts have also joined the effort, including Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida; Jefferson County, Kentucky Schools; Washington, DC Public Schools; Los Angeles Unified School District; McAllen Independent School District in Texas; and Putnam County Schools in West Virginia.

Posted by Tammy Thornton, MS, RD, LDN, Nutritionist and Community Transformation Grant Coordinator at the Washington County Health Department, Hagerstown, MD. on March 11, 2014

The Washington County Health Department in Hagerstown, Maryland is actively working to promote Let’s Move! Child Care (LMCC) best practices among Head Start, faith-based, and private child care centers. Two providers—Rehoboth Learning Center and Hagerstown Community College Children’s Learning Center—have been particularly proactive in meeting the goals outlined in their action plans and successfully created healthier environments to help the children in their care thrive.

Across the country, families, communities, schools, businesses and organizations are working to move our nation toward a healthier new norm, and studies are showing that their efforts are paying off. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced that obesity rates for preschool age children have declined by 43% over the past decade. This is great news!

Ed. Note: This blog was originally posted on WhiteHouse.gov. To view the full post, click here.
Don't miss your chance to join the First Family for the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. The big event is on Monday, April 21 and more than 30,000 people will join in on the fun. Guests will have a chance to participate in activities including games, stories, singing, dancing, and of course, the traditional egg roll - all on the White House South Lawn.

Last week, to celebrate the fourth anniversary of Let’s Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama encouraged people across the nation to show her how they move to be healthy on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using #LetsMove.